About Coach Jones
by Kristine1
Summary: How does Jamie cope when another man tries to start something with his Mother?


About Coach Jones.  
  
Author: Kristine.  
  
Rating: PG.  
  
Summary: How does Jamie feel when another man makes a bid for his Mother?  
  
Disclaimer: I only own the character of Coach Jones. He's enough for me to handle!  
  
Feedback: Is encouraged. robertskristine@hotmail.com.au  
  
Timeline: 6-8 months after series end, Jamie has gotten to like Lee.  
  
Notes: Thank you to all my tireless Betas, you worked above and beyond the call! Special thanks also to Miriam, in any POV she wants to take it . . .  
  
Archive: Yes, but please ask my permission first.  
  
Lee yawned wearily as he eased the Corvette into its familiar "visitor" spot in front of Amanda's house. After a week away, doing a stakeout alone, he was eager to spend some time with his wife and family, even though the family part was a secret to most people.  
  
The sound of running feet drew his attention to the driveway, where he found his oldest stepson enthusiastically slam-dunking his way into a sweat.  
  
"Hey, Phillip, how 'bout a time out?" Lee chuckled as he saw the boy all but collapse into a heap.  
  
"Sure, Lee, I could go for a drink. Want one?"  
  
"Yeah," Lee replied, as he followed Phillip into the kitchen. "Where is everyone?" He glanced toward the family room and the stairway, puzzled at the quiet of the normally busy household.  
  
"Grandma's at a flying lesson, and Mom and Jamie are at school, at a parent- teacher meeting with Coach Jones."  
  
"Oh, okay." Lee suddenly wished he'd called ahead.  
  
"They should be back soon, well, Mom and Jamie anyway. I can't see her wanting to make it last any longer than necessary, you know?" Phillip laughed to himself.  
  
"Is there a problem with Coach Jones?" Lee raised an eyebrow, wondering what Phillip found so amusing.  
  
"Ahh, well . . . " said Phillip, looking everywhere but at his stepfather.  
  
"Go on, Phillip."  
  
"Coach Jones thinks he's kind of a ladies' man. Sometimes he tries to flirt with some of the moms."  
  
"Flirt?" Lee ground out through clenched teeth.  
  
"It's not like he's trouble or anything, more like a pain," Phillip scuffed the toe of his sneaker on the floor and averted his eyes again, obviously wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. "This morning Jamie and I were talking about how gross he is."  
  
"I think I might try and catch them at school. You know, offer some moral support." Lee hurried out to the Corvette so quickly that he barely caught Phillip's goodbye.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
'Now what?' Lee tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and glared out the car window at the middle school. He couldn't very well go in and terrorize this Coach Jones, as much as the idea appealed to him.  
  
He trusted Amanda, of course, but he had an overwhelming urge to knock this guy's teeth in. Remembering something useful, he began fumbling around in the back of the car. He knew it was here somewhere . . .  
  
Finally! He grabbed the small metal dish and began snapping the pieces together.  
  
The innocuous-looking gadget was a new toy, courtesy of Leatherneck. If pointed in just the right spot, and with a little luck, conversations could be heard from a relatively safe distance. Lee had intended to show it to Amanda privately, but maybe this was a way to both test it out and find out about 'Good Ol' Coach Jones.'  
  
Lee stepped from the car and warily circled the school, close enough to see into the windows but far enough away to be hidden in the darkness. When he caught sight of Amanda inside, he stopped, pointed the device in her direction, and put on the headphones. He wasn't really spying on his wife, he figured wryly, especially if she didn't find out.  
  
"Oh, Coach Jones, that's my work beeper. I have to take this. Do you mind?"  
  
A male voice suddenly boomed, sounding smarmy and sleazy at the same time. "You just go right ahead, Amanda. There's a phone in the office down the hall. We'll be fine, and please, call me Brian."  
  
Lee heard the sound of a door being closed, and then Jamie's voice filled his ears.  
  
"Coach Jones?" Jamie King's voice brought the Coach back to reality and away from the nicely retreating form of Amanda King.  
  
"Yeah, Jamie?" he sighed.  
  
"Can I ask your opinion on something?"  
  
"Sure, shoot." Coach Jones kept one eye on the hallway for the boy's wandering mother.  
  
"I need to buy a birthday present for a special friend of my mom's, and I think I need a man's advice."  
  
'Special friend?' Could the PTA gossip about Amanda having a new boyfriend be true? "Sure . . . What's this special friend like?" he asked, fishing line firmly cast.  
  
"Well, he's tall and pretty fit," Jamie began.  
  
"Into sports and stuff, hey?" Coach smirked, knowing that his profession kept him in shape as well. 'So far, so good.'  
  
"I guess so." Jamie nodded seriously. "But he doesn't go much for team stuff. He's more into martial arts and things."  
  
The mention of martial arts brought the Coach's concern up a notch. "Is he any good?" Jones asked, as nonchalantly as he could.  
  
Jamie shrugged. "He must be, to have earned all those black belts."  
  
"More than one?" squeaked Coach Jones, suddenly very interested in a description of this guy.  
  
Jamie nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, at least a few. You know, Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and then there's the kickboxing and stuff."  
  
Coach tried not to panic at this new information. 'So what?' The guy was probably only good in a lesson- type situation, not in the real world. 'Bruce Lee wannabe,' he thought sarcastically.  
  
He caught Jamie's eye, determined to find out more. "Well, maybe he has some hobbies. You know, stuff he likes to do when he's not working.  
  
"Lee works with my mom at a film company. He's a director, so he has to fit hobbies into a pretty full schedule."  
  
"Sounds pretty busy," Coach agreed. 'Workaholic. She probably never gets to see him,' he thought gleefully.  
  
"But when he's not overseas or interviewing royalty and stuff, he likes to do things with us," Jamie continued.  
  
'Overseas, royalty? Just how connected was this guy?' "Like what?" Coach Jones prodded.  
  
"He knows a lot about guns. He showed us some of his collection once, so we wouldn't try and touch them or anything. That was interesting."  
  
Jones did a quick mental evaluation. 'Martial arts expert who's also a gun fanatic?' Not looking promising.  
  
"What about clothes or aftershave? Something to make him look good." Clinging to a last shred of hope, Jones desperately envisioned a sweaty, work-obsessed slob.  
  
"Oh, he usually looks pretty good," replied Jamie. "I guess he can afford a good wardrobe with his job and all. Leather jackets and tuxedos would be pretty expensive, don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah." Coach suddenly felt under-dressed in his poly-cotton T-shirt and track pants.  
  
Jamie brightened. "Maybe something for his car? Yeah, man, does he love that Corvette!" He shook his head in wonder.  
  
Coach Jones slumped into his chair. "I suppose that would be fine, Jamie," he replied, defeated and suddenly very eager to finish this particular interview.  
  
There was no way he'd have a chance with Amanda King now. A rich, good looking and worldly guy who could probably kill him where he stood . . .'No,' he thought, it would be foolish to even try.  
  
Finally, Amanda breezed back into the room. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long, Coach Jones," she gushed. "Work, I'm afraid. No rest for the wicked, I guess."  
  
"Not to worry, Mrs. King." Jones stood up, eager to bring the discussion to an end. "We're finished, really, and Jamie has been keeping me company."  
  
Other than a raised eyebrow, Amanda showed no obvious reaction to the sudden use of her last name instead of her first. After promising she'd see that he practiced his basketball, Amanda led Jamie from the room and headed home.  
  
They never saw the silver car pull silently away from the curb. Lee barely managed to arrive home before the two of them.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Hey, sweetheart." Amanda greeted him with a quick but warm kiss as they entered the kitchen a mere twenty minutes later  
  
"Hi, guys!" Lee responded brightly." "How'd it go with Coach Jones?" He assumed a nonchalant expression but watched their reactions closely.  
  
"Wonderfully!" Amanda said, thinking of both the good report and the sudden but welcome reprieve from the amorous attentions of Coach Jones.  
  
"Pretty good, I guess." Jamie smiled.  
  
"Glad to hear it, sport," laughed Lee.  
  
"Why don't the two of you set the table?" Amanda headed towards the stairs. "I'd better see how Phillip is doing on his homework."  
  
Jamie studied Lee for a moment, then leaned over and asked, "Hey Lee, do you think that after dinner you can help me practice my hoops?"  
  
Surprised but pleased, Lee grinned. "We wouldn't want to upset Coach Jones, would we?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know," Jamie's eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "One man's disappointment is another man's happiness, I guess."  
  
"Definitely, Jamie, couldn't agree more." Lee beamed as they began to set the table together.  
  
THE END 


End file.
